Life is Short, Careers are Shorter

I’m going to keep this short and sweet, because sometimes life, or death in this case, does a large amount of the talking.

IndyCar’s Dan Wheldon died today from injuries suffered in an early race crash in the league’s final race of the year. Dan was a season champ and 2-time and reigning Indy 500 winner.

He was 33. He leaves behind his wife Susie and two sons, Sebastian (2.5y) and Oliver (0.5y).

I’m not going to get in to some giant tribute to him. There will be enough of that by people who can do a better job.

Nor should this be a sob story. Racers race. That’s what they do. They choose a sport where it takes two balls to play, as smart racer friend of mine loves to say to his single-ball-sport loving friends . . . like 42.

So get to the point of where this touches the NBA or the New Orleans Hornets, will ya!

Life is short, careers are shorter. If you need to go through a lockout to get things right, then go through a lockout. If you need to wipe out contracts, just wipe them out. If you need to take or give a billion dollars, just get to the safe.

Do what must be done, just do it quickly. I don’t care what the stance you have is, just speed the process up.

If time will drain the bank accounts and that will apply pressure, then start circulating the spreadsheets showing that. If people don’t want to converge, then have a skype meeting or whatever. If you don’t want to talk, talk anyway. Waste all the non-playing time you need to waste to save a day of this or any other season.

Just meet everyday. Talk everyday. Work this hard everyday. Puuuuusssshhh!

I wasn't a fan of motor sports back when Earnhardt passed away, so this was my first real encounter with death in racing. It kind of puts things into prospective. Those guys go out there every week, but you never really think about how dangerous it really is to something like this happens. I remember watching the IndyCar race at Texas on Versus during the summer and Dan was doing commentary and he was extreme good at it. A man with so much talent, gone way to soon. At least he went out doing what he lived & loved the most.
RIP Dan Wheldon.